Michelle Romero
English 48A
Dr. Scott Lankford
Author: Abraham Lincoln
"Either the opponents of slavery, will arrest the further spread of it....or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all States, old as well as new--North as well as South. Have we no tendency to the latter condition?" (1629).
Here in his "A House Divided" speech, Lincoln declares that one side or another shall win, but by winning will unite all States. He does not see how slavery and anti-slavery can continue to exist in the same nation. He sees the danger that is imminent: either the opponents of slavery will stop it from spreading, or the advocates of slavery will push until it has infected the entire nation. The most important line is this: "Have we no tendency to the latter condition?" This statement is rather dismal and a bit spooky for those who did not believe in slavery or who did not want slavery in their part of town. Lincoln however, acknowledges their human tendencies to destroy and dominate.
Later he talks about tracing the construction of slavery all the way back to the foundation of the nation, "among its chief bosses, from the beginning" (1629.) From a Christian standpoint, if I were a Northerner, these passages would have sounded like a call to break a generational bondage. I think Lincoln's language is very religious and talks about this battle as spiritual warfare. He is asking the people to see in to their past and find the root of slavery. They will find Columbus, they will find many explorers who turned the natives in to slaves. They will also find even their first president, George Washington, owning slaves.
Lincoln, in a somewhat passive and ambiguous way, leads his listeners to this path and shows the bondage that binds their nation. I find it to be somewhat of an inspiration for the Northerners. However, due to the ambiguity and the fact that we know he did not take a strong stand in favor or in opposition of slavery until much later, I also see how the Southerners would hear this and think that it is slavery is a natural right exactly for the same reason, that since their beginning it has been a reality.
English 48A
Dr. Scott Lankford
Author: Abraham Lincoln
"Either the opponents of slavery, will arrest the further spread of it....or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all States, old as well as new--North as well as South. Have we no tendency to the latter condition?" (1629).
Here in his "A House Divided" speech, Lincoln declares that one side or another shall win, but by winning will unite all States. He does not see how slavery and anti-slavery can continue to exist in the same nation. He sees the danger that is imminent: either the opponents of slavery will stop it from spreading, or the advocates of slavery will push until it has infected the entire nation. The most important line is this: "Have we no tendency to the latter condition?" This statement is rather dismal and a bit spooky for those who did not believe in slavery or who did not want slavery in their part of town. Lincoln however, acknowledges their human tendencies to destroy and dominate.
Later he talks about tracing the construction of slavery all the way back to the foundation of the nation, "among its chief bosses, from the beginning" (1629.) From a Christian standpoint, if I were a Northerner, these passages would have sounded like a call to break a generational bondage. I think Lincoln's language is very religious and talks about this battle as spiritual warfare. He is asking the people to see in to their past and find the root of slavery. They will find Columbus, they will find many explorers who turned the natives in to slaves. They will also find even their first president, George Washington, owning slaves.
Lincoln, in a somewhat passive and ambiguous way, leads his listeners to this path and shows the bondage that binds their nation. I find it to be somewhat of an inspiration for the Northerners. However, due to the ambiguity and the fact that we know he did not take a strong stand in favor or in opposition of slavery until much later, I also see how the Southerners would hear this and think that it is slavery is a natural right exactly for the same reason, that since their beginning it has been a reality.
1 comment:
20/20 Love that cartoon
Post a Comment